Teach Your Monster to Read Alternatives: Full Curriculum Apps

Teach Your Monster to Read is a genuine achievement—a UK charity-developed app that teaches phonics through an engaging adventure game. Children create monsters, explore worlds, and learn letter sounds along the way. The synthetic phonics approach is research-backed. The game mechanics make practice feel like play. At free or ~$5 one-time purchase, the value is exceptional.

But phonics isn't everything preschoolers need to learn. While your child's monster conquers reading, who's teaching numbers? Science concepts? Emotional regulation? Creative expression? Teach Your Monster does one thing excellently; these alternatives do everything.

Why Parents Look for Teach Your Monster to Read Alternatives

Teach Your Monster is narrow by design:

• Phonics only — No math instruction, no science exploration, no social-emotional learning, no creative activities. Just reading skills.

• UK phonics approach — Synthetic phonics designed for British English. Works fine for American kids but wasn't designed for them.

• Finite content — Once your child completes the phonics journey, there's nowhere to go. The monster has learned to read; now what?

• No ongoing curriculum — One-time purchase means one-time content. No new lessons, no skill expansion, no continued progression.

• Single skill focus — Preschool education encompasses dozens of developmental areas. Reading is essential but not sufficient.

Quick Comparison: Apps Like Teach Your Monster to Read

Best Teach Your Monster to Read Alternatives

Kokotree — Complete Education, Not Just Reading

Teach Your Monster creates a phonics adventure. Kokotree creates a complete early childhood education where phonics is one chapter among many.

The scope difference is significant. Your child watching Kokotree might learn about letter sounds, then explore how seeds grow, then practice counting, then understand what to do when feeling frustrated. That's balanced preschool development—literacy alongside math, science, creativity, and social-emotional skills.

What comprehensive early education includes:

• Phonics and literacy — Letter sounds, words, reading readiness—yes, this is covered
• Math foundations — Counting, numbers, patterns, early arithmetic concepts
• Science exploration — Nature, weather, animals, how things work
• Creative expression — Art, colors, music, imaginative thinking
• Social-emotional learning — Feelings, friendships, handling challenges

The format difference matters too. Teach Your Monster is a game you play through. Kokotree offers videos, games, AND printable activities—varied formats for varied learning styles.

Why families move beyond Teach Your Monster: Complete curriculum covering all developmental areas, not just the (admittedly important) skill of reading.

See our full Kokotree vs Teach Your Monster comparison →

Khan Academy Kids — Free Complete Curriculum

Khan Academy Kids delivers full preschool education—completely free, like Teach Your Monster's web version.

• All subjects — Reading, math, social-emotional, creativity
• 100% free — Charity mission like Teach Your Monster, but comprehensive
• Ongoing content — New activities versus finite game
• Character engagement — Fun characters throughout like Teach Your Monster

Best for: Families who loved Teach Your Monster's free access and quality but need complete curriculum rather than phonics alone.

ABCmouse — Maximum Comprehensive Content

For families wanting absolutely everything, ABCmouse offers exhaustive curriculum coverage.

• 10,000+ activities — Every subject, extensive depth
• Complete curriculum — Reading through science through art
• Clear progression — Step-by-step learning paths
• $14.99/month — Premium price for premium comprehensiveness

Best for: Families wanting maximum content and subject coverage. Overkill for some; comprehensive for others.

Homer — Reading Plus Growing Subjects

Homer offers deeper reading instruction than Teach Your Monster with expanding subject coverage.

• Personalized reading journey — Deeper than Teach Your Monster's single path
• Growing curriculum — Math, social-emotional, creativity added
• Adaptive difficulty — Adjusts to your child
• $9.99/month — Subscription versus one-time

Best for: Families who want reading depth beyond Teach Your Monster with gradual subject expansion.

Reading Eggs — Comprehensive Literacy System

For families wanting extensive reading curriculum specifically, Reading Eggs goes deeper than Teach Your Monster.

• Systematic phonics — More comprehensive than Teach Your Monster
• Extends to age 13 — Grows far beyond early phonics
• Reading comprehension — Beyond decoding to understanding
• Progress tracking — Detailed skill development visibility

Best for: Families committed to literacy development wanting more than Teach Your Monster's introductory phonics.

Free Teach Your Monster Alternatives

Since Teach Your Monster's web version is free, cost-conscious families have options:

• Khan Academy Kids — Free comprehensive education, not just phonics
• Duolingo ABC — Free gamified literacy
• PBS Kids Games — Free games across subjects
• Starfall (free tier) — Free phonics activities

Choosing Complete Education

Think about what your preschooler needs beyond reading:

Choose Kokotree if: You want complete STEAM curriculum—reading plus math, science, art, and social-emotional skills—at affordable pricing with video content.

Choose Khan Academy Kids if: Free comprehensive education matters, covering all subjects your child needs.

Choose ABCmouse if: Maximum content volume and subject coverage justify premium pricing.

Choose Reading Eggs if: Deep literacy curriculum is the priority, with less concern for other subjects.

Teach Your Monster to Read Alternatives FAQ

What is the best alternative to Teach Your Monster to Read?

For comprehensive preschool curriculum, Kokotree offers complete STEAM education at $4.99/month. For free alternatives, Khan Academy Kids provides full subjects like Teach Your Monster's charity model but with broader scope. Homer ($9.99/month) offers deeper reading if literacy remains the priority.

Is Teach Your Monster enough for preschool?

For phonics specifically, Teach Your Monster is excellent. For complete preschool education—math, science, social skills, creativity—it's intentionally narrow. Most families need additional resources to cover the full spectrum of early childhood development.

What comes after Teach Your Monster to Read?

After mastering phonics, children need reading practice, comprehension development, and broader curriculum. Apps like Kokotree, Khan Academy Kids, or ABCmouse provide continued learning across all subjects. Reading-specific apps like Homer or Reading Eggs offer deeper literacy progression.

Are there free alternatives to Teach Your Monster?

Khan Academy Kids offers free comprehensive education including literacy. Duolingo ABC provides free gamified phonics. PBS Kids Games includes free literacy activities. All offer free content, though Khan Academy Kids most closely matches Teach Your Monster's commitment to quality free education.

Can Kokotree replace Teach Your Monster to Read?

Yes, and Kokotree goes beyond. Teach Your Monster teaches phonics through game adventure. Kokotree teaches phonics through video and games PLUS math, science, art, and social-emotional learning. For comprehensive preschool education including literacy, Kokotree is the broader solution at $4.99/month.

Ready for Complete Early Childhood Education?

Phonics is essential. So is everything else. Kokotree delivers literacy plus math, science, creativity, and social-emotional skills—complete curriculum for complete development.

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More Alternatives Guides

Looking for alternatives to other apps? These guides might help:

• Reading Eggs Alternatives — If structured phonics needs more play
• Homer Alternatives — If reading-focused apps need more subjects
• Duolingo ABC Alternatives — If literacy-only feels too limited

← See All Alternatives Guides

Related Pages:

• Kokotree vs Teach Your Monster to Read: Full Comparison
• See All Preschool App Comparisons